


Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Ties of the Past

by Wolfsbanewrites



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: Found Family, M/M, Original Character(s), Slow Burn, adopted family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-13 12:42:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29153754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfsbanewrites/pseuds/Wolfsbanewrites
Summary: Luca awakens in the bottom of a quarry with no memory of his past. All he knows is that he's a human and that, somehow, he's been turned into a Rockruff. He meets Flayn, an excitable and irate Litten, and soon joins him and his adopted mother as a member of their caravan of traders who travel the world, selling their wares to those who need them most.But all is not well in the world. Mystery Dungeons are popping up in greater numbers than ever before. Pokemon all over are falling into a mysterious frenzy. And the ancient seal deep in the Ancestor's City is weakening.Luca and Flayn set off to find the reason for Luca's transformation, and with any luck, a way to help their troubled world. A long Journey, and one that brings them closer together.
Relationships: Luca/Flayn, Original Character/Original Character
Comments: 9
Kudos: 12





	1. Prologue: The Space Between

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fic that I've wanted to write for some time now! I'll post each chapter as I finish it, which will, frankly, be random because the motivation to write strikes me at random intervals. 
> 
> I really don't know what to categorize this as. It's like if Romance, Adventure, Mystery, and Comedy all had a big, Pokemon-themed baby. But! I hope you enjoy it!

Waking up didn’t truly describe what Luca felt. Waking up usually implied that you were stirring from slumber, or coming to a higher plane of consciousness. This wasn’t anything like that. It was as if, in one moment, he didn’t exist, and in the next, he did. His eyes fluttered open as if he had awoken, but that was likely the only parallel. 

He wasn’t even sure if he had eyes, actually. He looked down, or did what he perceived as looking down, but he couldn’t find any sort of body. He got the feeling that maybe that realization should have been a lot more distressing than it actually was. A thought crossed his mind, if only for a moment, that this was all a dream. He’d had many dreams like this before. Or had he? The more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn’t recall his dreams. Or much of anything, really. The only solid information he seemed able to remember was his name, that he was twenty years of age, and that he was, to his knowledge, a human person. The lack of a body made that last fact a bit hard to confirm, but he felt fairly confident that he wasn’t wrong.

As for where he was, well, it was about as non-descript as a location could get. He was literally floating in nothingness. An endless space of white. That, coupled with his lack of a corporeal form, made for a rather strange circumstance. Again, he felt as though this should all have been far more frightening and worrisome. Instead, he felt calm. Serene. Safe.

“Oh, good! I’m glad! Because you’re very safe here, Luca! That’s a promise!” A voice called out around him, wherever _around _was. Or maybe the voice was inside him. A part of him? He had no way of knowing. Was the voice talking to him?__

__“Of course I’m talking to you, silly! Who else would I be talking to?” The voice said with a giggle. It sounded young and energetic, but also elderly and wise all at the same time. Was it listening to his thoughts?_ _

__“Sort of!” The voice replied. “You don’t really have thoughts right now!” That was ridiculous. Of course he had thoughts. He was thinking at that very moment._ _

__“Well, I mean, yeah! But only sort of! You’re just kind of a jumble of feelings and impressions at the moment!” It sounded complicated._ _

__“That’s because it, uh, really kind of is! I would love to explain it all to you, but the time it would take to actually do that far exceeds the time we actually have!” The voice was still cheery and bright, though it did sound a bit frustrated. Frustrated with what, exactly? As far as Luca could tell, they were surrounded by nothing, or they were nothing, or nothing existed at all._ _

__“It’s not that nothing exists, Luca! It’s that we’re in the space between where everything exists! Uh, think of it like a crawlspace! A crawlspace between realities!” Despite the fact that he had no memories and no frame of reference for whatever it was the voice was talking about, the image flashed across his mind, or lack thereof, of a small, cramped passageway. Dark, slightly moldy, and crammed full of cobwebs.  
“Exactly!” The voice said with glee. “This is a crawlspace, and you’d be...uh...like, the cobwebs! You’re all kind of discombobulated right now. I had to take you apart to bring you here!” Take him apart? What did they mean by that?_ _

__“Well! I took you from your world to bring you to another, but in order to do that, we have to pass between the space between. And since nothing physical, emotional, or cognitively significant can really exist here, we had to leave that all behind!” The voice said this as though it made perfect sense. It did not._ _

__“Er, think of it this way! Your human body was a big soup, right! With yummy broth of memories and emotions and all that fun stuff, and then the bowl would have been your body! Well, we can’t take that with us here, so right now you’re just a bunch of loose ingredients floating around. Your essence is all here! And here in a second, I’m going to shove it all into a new body and send you on your way!” Again, the voice said this all like it made a lick of sense to Luca._ _

__There was silence for a few moments, from both him and the voice, though silence was a relative term in a realm where literally nothing existed. Eventually he started thinking once more. Or whatever the approximation of thinking was when you were just essences and feelings. Why was he being moved between worlds? Why had he been brought here?_ _

__“Ooooh! I’m really glad you asked!” The voice piped up in excitement. “The world I’m bringing you to, _my world _, needs your help!” His help? As in, his help specifically?___ _

____“Yep! I’ve observed a loooooooooooot of different humans for a really long time! But you’re the only one I’ve seen that has the right traits for what needs to happen! You’re analytical, but not detached! You have a good heart, and are always willing to lend a helping hand!” That did sound like him. Which was odd, because he had no memories of himself. But at his very core, which was all he was at the moment, he knew this to be true. But, surely, he wasn’t the only human who had those traits?”_ _ _ _

____“Well, no, of course not! But, even then, there’s just...something about you that’s different! I wish I could explain it, but again, we don’t have the time for that.” Fair enough. If the voice needed him, then why wasn’t he asked for his help?_ _ _ _

____“Oh! No, I did ask! Otherwise you wouldn’t be here! I wouldn’t have pulled you from your home without your consent. You knew the risks, and that you’d have your memory...uh...um…” Erased? Taken?_ _ _ _

____“I was going to say obliterated, but erased sounds a whole lot better!” The voice sounded almost relieved. So, he had agreed to go to this voice’s world and help it in some way. What was needed of him?”_ _ _ _

____“Oh, boy, again, we don’t really have the time to get into it. And, even if we did, you wouldn’t remember it, anyway. The second you’re in my world, you’re going to forget everything about this conversation, let alone that you were even here.” So, he was to forget everything?_ _ _ _

____“Well, not _everything _everything. You’ll still remember the important stuff! Like your name! And your age!” That he was human? “Yeah! That too!” That all made sense so far. He still felt as though he should have found this all completely ludicrous. Insane, even. But he supposed he didn’t have the capacity for that at the moment. What world was he to be going to, then?___ _ _ _

______“The world of Pokemon!” The voice said with such force and triumph that Luca felt there should have been fireworks. Fireworks? The images of bright flashing lights against a darkened sky blinked through his consciousness. Pokemon was another word that elicited flashes of images, but they were far more diverse. Creatures. Some as small as bugs, others as tall as mountains. Each with their own unique features._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Yeah! Those! Exactly! I’ve already chosen a form for you that I think you’re really going to like! You’re going to be super disoriented at first, but it’ll get really easy after a little bit!” What was he supposed to do when he arrived in this new world?_ _ _ _ _ _

______“I-...well, again, you won’t really remember. But I can promise that, in time, everything will become clear to you!” Was he going to hear from the voice again?_ _ _ _ _ _

______“...Not for a...uh...not for a really long time, Luca.” The voice sounded slightly apprehensive. But he supposed there was little to be done about it at the moment. When was he going to arrive?_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Whenever you’re ready! Just say the word, and you’ll be free of the space between, and join the world of the Pokemon.” Since prep work seemed meaningless, he supposed he was ready._ _ _ _ _ _

______“Alright, then! Good luck, Luca! I mean it!”_ _ _ _ _ _

______There was silence for a long, long, moment._ _ _ _ _ _

______Then there was nothing._ _ _ _ _ _

______Until there was everything._ _ _ _ _ _


	2. Chapter One: Rocky Awakenings and Fiery Tempers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luca wakes up in a quarry with no memory and meets Flayn, a Litten who informs who that he's been turned into a Pokemon.

“Hey! Heeeeeeeey! Are you dead? Please tell me you’re not dead. Because I’m already having a kind of rotten day and finding a dead body would really just be the cherri berry on top of it all.” A voice cut through the haze that filled Luca’s mind. He was groggy and just about every muscle in his body ached. Had he overslept? He couldn’t recall anything he needed to wake up. In fact, he couldn’t recall much of anything at the moment.

He must have let out a groan of sorts, because that same voice let out a slightly relieved, slightly annoyed huff. “Good! So you’re not dead! Are you going to get up or are you just going to lay there? Because now I feel responsible for you or something!” The voice was starting to get a bit more agitated, and with a rugged, pained groan, shook his head. He wasn’t really in the mood to get up, and this person’s insistence that they hurry was getting on his nerves. He was in pain and all he wanted to do was rest.

Whoever was speaking, however, was not having any of that. Something hard and heavy struck Luca’s nose and his eyes fluttered open with a shocked gasp. “What was that-!” He started, though he cut himself short once he saw what was in front of him.

It was a Litten. Or at least, he was pretty sure. A feline face, with long red whiskers and wide, angry yellow eyes to match. He held a stone in his paw, and he looked about ready to throw it. “Good! I got your attention! So! Why are you out in the middle of the quarry? This is probably the worst place to take a nap.” The Litten said, the annoyance in his voice starting to die down.

Wait.

Voice?

“...Did...did you just talk?” Luca said slowly, his voice slightly hoarse, as though it hadn’t been used in some time.

“Uh, duh.” The Litten said with a roll of his eyes. “Did you hit your head or something?”

“B-but-” Luca stuttered. “You’re a Pokemon.”

“Yeah. And?”

“Pokemon don’t talk!” Luca stated firmly. He was having a fairly hard time recalling much about anything. Where he was, how he got there. But he was absolutely certain that Pokemon didn’t talk.

The Litten looked absolutely done with their conversation already. “Uh. Yes. We do.” We? What did he mean, we?

“No, I’m one hundred percent sure that Pokemon don’t talk.” Luca nodded adamantly, and the Litten let out a low, dry laugh.

“Okay, smarty-pants. If Pokemon don’t talk, then how do you explain the fact that you’re saying words, huh?” Luca titled his head, his confusion only skyrocketing.

“What do you mean? I’m human. Humans talk plenty.”

“...Human? Wow, you really must have hit your head. Humans haven’t been around for a really, really, really long time. Besides, you look like a pretty normal Rockruff to me.” Luca’s eyes widened at this. What? Rockruff? No, that wasn’t possible. He was human. He didn’t know much, but he was absolutely certain of that fact.

“...No. You’re wrong.” He stated, his own tone turning slightly agitated. The Litten sighed and set the rock he’d been holding down.

“I’m really not. But, hey, if you don’t believe me, you’re more than welcome to take a look for yourself.” He gestured to his left. Now that Luca’s eyes were fully open, he could see where they were. Like the Litten had mentioned, they were indeed in the middle of a quarry. High stone walls rose all around them, while the sun shone on them from high above. Right next to Luca was a small puddle, which seemed to be what the Litten was pointing at. Rising to his feet, Luca peered down at his own reflection.

Only to see the brown muzzle and blue eyes of a Rockruff staring back at him.

He blinked a few times. Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him? He lifted his hands to rub at his eyes, only to be hit with the hard and sudden realization that he no longer had hands. Instead, peered down at two soft, stout paws, similar in color to his muzzle. His muzzle. It was a dizzying thought. So much so, he fell flat onto his rear, now realizing he had a fluffy tail to watch out for.

“...I’m a Rockruff.” He muttered under his breath, which the Litten (who he had momentarily forgotten about) scoffed at.

“Uh, yeah. Obviously. Glad we’re on the same page.” He lashed his tail as he spoke. Neither said anything for a moment, and the Litten peered closer at Luca, his annoyance slowly giving way to concern. “...You okay?”

“...I’m a Pokemon.” Was all Luca offered in response. He wasn’t sure what else to say. The whole situation was completely perplexing. He had woken up in the bottom of a quarry, transformed into a Rockruff with no knowledge of how he got there, or of his past. He knew his name, at the very least. That was something. The shock of it all was quickly starting to wear off, however, and already his mind was listing the questions that needed to be answered. Why was he transformed into a Pokemon? How did he get here? What caused his memory loss?

“...Uh, buddy? Rockruff?” The Litten had begun to poke Luca, and he shook himself out of his stupor. 

“...Wh-what? Sorry, I-...what?” He stammered, his mind still swirling with questions. The Litten flicked an ear in concern.

“...You really think you’re a human, huh?” It was incredulous, but not asked out of judgement. Only concern. Luca nodded.

“I know I am. I just...don’t happen to look like it, at the moment.”

“Do you know how you got here?”

“No.” Luca felt his ears wilt at the admission. It was an odd sensation. “I don’t know anything. Not how I got here, not how I became like...this. Nothing.” The Litten’s demeanour had changed completely now. He sat down and curled his tail around his paws, frowning.

“...Huh. Well, do you know your name, at least?”

“Yeah. It’s Luca.” The Litten lit up at that and flashed a grin, complete with two small fangs.

“Well! Hey! It’s something! It’s nice to meet you, Luca. Sorry for throwing a rock at you. I’ve had kind of a crummy day. My name’s Flayn.” Luca nodded, managing a small smile himself.

“It’s okay. Considering the circumstances, I think getting a rock thrown at me is fairly harmless.” Even if it did hurt a fair bit. “I-..do you think I could ask a question, Flayn?”

“Sure!” Flayn nodded happily. His mannerisms were so different from before. He’d gone from angry and ready to fight to cheerful and helpful in such a short amount of time. Luca might have found it funny, if he wasn’t still overwhelmed by the situation he was in.

“Where uh...where exactly are we? You said we were in a quarry?”

“Oh, yeah! This is Builder’s Quarry. Or, part of it, at least. It’s a mystery dungeon that you have to pass through to get to Ancestor’s City.” Luca blinked a few times.

“...Mystery...dungeon?” 

“...You don’t know what a mystery dungeon is?” Flayn asked with a flick of his tail.

“I’m afraid not. No memory, remember?”

“Oh, guess that makes sense. So, okay. Mystery dungeons are these places that pop up all over the places. They’re super mysterious, which is why they’re called mystery dungeons. They rearrange themselves every time you go in, so they’re impossible to map. But they usually have all sorts of cool treasure inside. They can be super dangerous to explore, though.”

“Dangerous? Are we in any danger, just sitting here?” Luca found himself glancing around the quarry. He didn’t see any signs of trouble, and he couldn’t smell anyone else. Smell? It was odd that he’d noted that. But, of course, he wasn’t a human anymore. It made sense that, as a Rockruff, he’d rely on his sense of smell more.

“Of course not! Well, probably not. Maybe a little.” Flayn waved a paw in the air. “I know there’s some Steelix that live around here, but they’re usually harmless!”

“...Usually?”

“...Weeeeeell, they can get pretty territorial.” This caused Luca to jump to his paws. His limbs were still sore, and ached in protest.

“If they’re territorial, then we should really leave before they find us. They might assume we’re making a move on their territory.” Flayn sputtered and shook his head.

“Would you relax? They’re obviously not here now. Besides! You were probably passed out here for a while!”

“And what if it were the Steelix that brought me here? It’s possible they could have attacked me and that’s why I was unconscious.” That would explain why he was so sore. And head trauma could also explain his memory loss.

“I really don’t think that’s what happened. You don’t look like you were attacked. You honestly look perfectly healthy.”

“You don’t know that.”

“And you don’t know that you were attacked. You just said you don’t know anything.” Flayn hissed, some of his earlier hostility returning. “Besides, why would they even bring you into their territory in the first place?” Luca narrowed his eyes.

“...If you knew them to be territorial, then why are you even here?”

“...Because...uh..” Flayn paused, clearing his throat. “...Because I heard they have some pretty good treasure, and…” He didn’t continue.

“And?” Luca pressed.

“Aaaaaaaaand I maybe...sort of wanted to take some?” Flayn flicked his tail once more.

“And you didn’t see how maybe that was a bad idea?”

“Hey!” Flayn bristled. “You’re lucky I came! Otherwise maybe the Steelix would have pounded your sorry hide into the rocks! Maybe I should’ve just left you laying right there!” Luca opened his mouth to respond, but took a deep breath instead. Arguing was pointless.

“There’s really no use in bickering about this any more. We need to leave before the Steelix return and attack us both. Do you know the way out of here?” Luca took another quick look around the quarry. It was rather circular, with many different pathways lining the edges. Some were carved into the rockface itself, and others seemed to have been hastily constructed out of wood.

“Well, kind of. We can go back the way I came. My caravan’s stopped just outside of the entrance, we can head back there.” 

“Caravan?” Luca asked as Flayn rose to his feet, turning in place a few times.

“Yeah! We’re traders, on our way to Ancestor’s City. Hey!” Flayn shouted in excitement, turning to face Luca, who had jumped at the sudden increase in volume. “I bet you Mama might know what’s going on with you! She’s super smart, and knows all sorts of things about all sorts of things! She even knows a lot about humans, she might know something about...this!” He gestured to Luca, who simply blinked. 

“...Does this mean you believe me? About being human?” Flayn flicked an ear.

“I don’t know. But you seem to believe, so that’s got to count for something.” Luca was almost touched, but he didn’t have time to fully appreciate Pokemon’s words. The ground beneath them began to shake, and Flayn’s eyes grew wide.

“...Uh-oh.” He said, his voice quiet and small.

“The Steelix, I presume?” Luca said through gritted teeth. He didn’t receive an answer. Instead, about ten feet away from the both of them, dirt and rock were sent flying through the air as something punctured it’s way through the ground, crawling up onto the surface. The bumpy, gray form of a Steelix, much larger than either Luca or Flayn, began to encircle them. They were effectively trapped. The head of the creature turned to face them, it’s intense, maroon eyes focused on them.

“THIS IS OUR HOME.” It bellowed. “YOU ARE TRESSPASSING.”

“I’m sorry!” Flayn squeaked out. For someone so quick to temper, he wilted incredibly quickly when it came to danger. “My friend and I were playing and we got separated! He hit his head and fell down here! We’ll leave, promise”! Or, it seemed, he just happened to be a good liar.

“NO.” The Steelix practically roared, raising its tail only to slam it back into the ground. “TRESPASSERS MUST BE PUNISHED. YOU WILL BE PUNISHED.” It uncoiled itself, lifting itself upright, so that it’s massive head was just above them.

“Move!” Luca called out, dashing to the side. Flayn did just the same, and narrowly avoided being smashed by the Steelix. It was to be a fight, then. Luca wasn’t entirely sure why, but when it came to Pokemon and battling, he felt like he knew quite a lot about both. None of his other memories had returned, but the intimacies of battling were flooding back to him.

“Flayn!” He called out as the Steelix rose its head to prepare an attack.

“Y-yeah?” They were on opposite sides of the Steelix, but Luca could see him, already dropped into a battle stance.

“Do you know ember?”

“Uh, yeah, think so!”

“Use it!” We’re going to have to rely on you! Seelix is weak to fire types! I’m a rock type, so I’m susceptible to most of its attacks! I’m counting on you!” Flayn nodded, and inhaled deeply. Just as the Steelix began to turn to Luca to begin its next attack, he let out a small, focused burst of flame. It washed the creature’s side, and it let out a low groan of pain. It began turning to focus on Flayn.

“What now?” Flayn shouted, and Luca looked around. His attacks wouldn’t do much to the Steelix. At least, not any damage that would matter. There had to be something in the Quarry itself that could...there! He spotted one of the wooden walkways, precariously perched over a small gap in the rock. There was enough space underneath to lure the Steelix under. If Flayn got it under there, then Luca could collapse it and, hopefully, it would be enough to incapacitate it.

“That bridge!” Luca finally said. “Get it under the bridge!” It took a second for Flayn to understand what was said, but he seemed to understand, and began to run towards the bridge, the Steelix in hot pursuit. Though his body still ached in protest, Luca ran over to one of the slopes that led up the wall, and made his way to the bridge as fast as he could. Though he couldn’t see what was going on, he could feel the Steelix slamming into the ground, and hear its cries of pain as Flayn continued to scorch it. 

Finally, he reached the bridge. It was being held together by old rope and sheer will. Through the uneven planks, he could see Flayn below, trapped between the wall and the Steelix. He’d have to act fast. How to collapse the bridge? Perhaps a well placed tackle? No, you would risk falling down with it. What moves do I know? It was odd, but somehow, he knew exactly what moves he could use. Funny how he knew that and type matchups, but nothing about his life. Rock slide. That will not only collapse the bridge, but bring extra weight down on the Steelix.

Without much time to spare, Luca turned to the wall. With a deep inhale and a sharp growl, he struck the rocks in his main against the rough surface of the quarry. Almost instantly, larger rocks began to tumble and fall down to the bridge. 

“Get out of there, Flayn!” Luca called out, just before the rocks struck the bridge. It was more than enough to tear the flimsy wood apart, and send everything plummeting down below. It was loud, impossibly so, but Luca could make out the grunt of the Steelix as it was hit, and then there was silence. He rushed over to the ledge and looked down. The dust was settling, but he could make out the motionless body of the Steelix. Alive, but unconscious. Flayn was safe and already making his way up the slopes to rush up to Luca, eyes sparkling with excitement.

“That! Was! So! Cool! Did you see? I was all like FWOWH and WOOSH and he was all like AAAARGH and then you were all like CRASH!” His tail was lashing wildly, and all Luca could do was let out a sigh.

“I did. It was close. But, instead of celebrating, why don’t we get out of here?”

“...Oh! Right! C’mon, we can start climbing over here!” Flayn turned and began to dash up another slope. Luca tailed after him, eager to leave.

“That was really smart of you, Luca. Like, really, really smart.” Flayn said while they climbed. “Where’d you learn to battle like that? I-...wait, memory. Amnesia. Sorry.” 

“It’s alright.”

“It was really cool, though. You’re really good at battling.”

“It was only one encounter. It could very well be luck.”

“I don’t think so. I think you’re probably a secret genius or something.” Flayn grinned wide. “...Oh! Look, over there! That’s the entrance! My caravan’s just on the other side! You’re going to love Mama, she’s literally the coolest Pokemon in the whole world!”


	3. Chapter Two: Mama's Caravan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luca meets Mama's Caravan, a motley group of traders on their way to Ancestor's City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jovial, vaguely southern maternal leader is the best character trope. You can't change my mind.

The entrance to the quarry was unremarkable. It was nothing more than a hole in the stone wall that let out into a quiet, wooded area. Wait was waiting just beyond was far more interesting. A small camp had been constructed, complete with tents, a cozy-looking fire, two covered wagons, and a myriad of faces that all turned to look at the pair as they walked up.

“And where in the world have YOU been?!” A rough voice called out. It was coming from a Kangaskhan. Luca couldn’t recall, of course, a time where he’d ever seen another Khangashan, but he was certain that she was the largest he’d ever seen. She looked to be older, likely well into middle age for her species, and notably had a gouge in her right ear. Curiously, however, there was no child in her pouch. He recalled that most Khangaskhan carried their children in the pouch on their belly, though he couldn’t see any children around.

Flynn wilted at her tone, his ears folding back and his tail drooping to drag along the ground.

“I was exploring…” He murmured, to which the Khangaskhan only shook her head. Despite her current agitation, Luca could see the kindness in her eyes. She was mad, obviously, but there was warmth in her expression.

“Flayn, I’ve told ya a hundred times before, if yer goin’ to go off on your own, you need to tell one of us. Ya had us all worried to death.”

“Not all of us.” One of the other Pokemon said, a bored-looking Staraptor.

“I’m sorry, Mama. I would’ve been back sooner but..” Flynn turned to look at Luca, and in turn the Khangaskhan’s eyes fell to him.

“Uh, hello?” Luca said, unsure of exactly how to react in this situation. The Khangaskhan’s demeanor changed quickly, much how Flayn’s seemed to. 

“Well, tip me over and call me Miltank! Did Flayn actually go and make himself a friend?” She leaned over to extend a massive hand to Luca, who just touched it with his paw, uncertain of how to shake a hand when you lacked thumbs. “Go ahead and call me Mama, everyone else already does! Ya got a name, son?”

“Uh...Luca?”

“Are you askin’ me, or are ya tellin’ me?” She smiled, followed by a round of hearty, jovial laughter.

“Telling.”

“Mama.” Flayn started, seemingly having regained his composure. “Luca’s lost his memory! I found him passed out in the bottom of the quarry!” Mama frowned at that.

“Lost his memory? Why you poor thing. That’s got to be somethin’ awful scary to go through, wakin’ up in a strange place with no idea how you got there.”

“He’s lucky I found him, otherwise that Steelix would have totally-” Flayn didn’t get the chance to continue bragging, as Mama turned her suddenly wrathful gaze upon him.

“A Steelix? Y’all fought a Steelix? You both could’a been hurt! Or worse!” Flayn began to wilt again, though he swallowed and stood up straight. 

“We were fine! I’m a good fighter, Mama! And Luca’s really good with strategy! You should have seen it! We totally lured him into a trap, and then Luca was like KA-POW with this old bridge and totally took him out!” Flayn puffed out his chest, clearly proud of the work they’d done. Mama turned back to Luca, regarding him with an impressed expression.

“Really? The Steelix that live in Builder’s Quarry are some tough fellers. I’m impressed that a couple of little guys took ‘em out.”

“I’m not little, Mama. I’m an adult now.” Flayn said, annoyed.

“Yes, but you’re still a little Litten. And that means you’re little.” Flayn grumbled while Mama turned to return to the fire, where the other Pokemon had shifted from watching Mama’s scolding and had begun to chat amongst themselves. “C’mon, you two. Y’all’re probably famished after a fight like that.” Luca’s stomach growled at the thought of food. He wasn’t sure when the last time he ate was, but judging by the sudden hunger pains he felt, he was guessing it was somewhere between a few days and never.

Mama took a seat on an old, weathered tree stump, while Flayn flopped on the ground beside her. He patted the grass to his side, smiling at Luca, who padded over and gently lowered himself to the ground.

“So! Introductions! Luca, this here’s the gang. You’ve got Ace right there.” She pointed to the Staraptor, who was perched atop a fallen log. He wore what seemed to be some type of aviation goggles, and a long, sleek, red scarf. He peered over at Luca, scoffing. “He’s not real good at warmin’ up to strangers.”

“Strangers can be dangerous, Mama.” Ace said, looking away from Luca to instead stare at the fire.

“You were a stranger, once, and you ain’t dangerous.”

“Debatable.” Said a Glaceon, sitting a farther bit away from the fire from everyone else. She had been rummaging through a bag, sorting out what seemed to be berries. Luca could see some he recognized. Cherri, rawst, oran, but there were a few he had never seen before.

“That’s Lorelai.” Mama explained. “She’s pretty much the healer for the rest of us, for when we get ourselves into scrapes.”

“Which is far more often than it should be.” Lorelai said. Her tone was almost as icy as the rest of her. “You and Flayn are very lucky you were both unharmed, Luca.” She began to put the berries back into her bag. “I have very few supplies left. We’re going to need more when we make it to Ancestor’s City.” The latter comment was directed to Mama, who nodded.

“We’ll see what can trade while we’re there. But, that’s later.” She gestured over to a smaller Pokemon, a Klefki. They were watching Luca intently, though their expression was hard to read. Whether that was because that was just how they were, or because Klefkis had limited expression was hard to tell. They had far more keys than any Klefki he could recall. Not that he could, but still.

“You got Jangle right there.” Luca waited for them to introduce themselves, but instead they just clicked one of their keys against their body in quick succession.

“...Uh.” Luca blinked. “...Does Jangle not talk?”

“No, no, they do. They just don’t speak. They talk usin’ clicks and whatnot. They just said it’s real nice to meet you, and wanted to ask ya to please use they and them pronouns for ‘em.”

“Oh. Alright. That’s actually very interesting. I’m...I’m not sure, but I think I know of something like that. With uh...clicks, or beeps, or something similar.” Mama lofted a brow at that, though her kind smile refused to fade.

“Is that right? Good to know that not everythin’ in that noggin of yours up and went.” She let out a good natured laugh, and gestured to the last of the Pokemon. A Tauros, with a wild, untamed mane and downturned horns lay in the grass. His eyes were closed, but his ears flicked as Mama spoke.

“And last but not least, we got Sticks. He don’t talk much, but you’ll never meet a more loyal Pokemon in all the world.” Sticks popped an eye open to look over at Luca. He started for a few moments, before nodding curtly and closing his eye once more.

“And that’s our group. We’re a rag-tag bunch, but we all get along.” Mama crossed her arms, looking over at the fire. There was something buried in the embers. A stone box of some sort. Whatever was inside smelled divine, and made Luca’s stomach growl. But, he’d have to think about food in a moment. He had questions.

“Mama.” He started. “Flayn mentioned that you’re traders?”

“Indeed we are! We go all over the continent looking for rare goods to trade in each of the cities we visit! We meet all sorts of folk out on the road, it’s good, fun work.”

“I wouldn’t say fun.” Flayn said dryly.

“You don’t find anything fun.” Lorelai retorted, to which everyone chuckled.

“Yeah, Ace! You’re such a stick in the mud, I’m surprised you haven’t turned into a ground type!” Flayn said with an impish smirk, which earned him a glare from Ace.

Luca found himself chuckling along. He hadn’t known these Pokemon for very long at all, but he already found himself somewhat endeared to them all. Perhaps it was because of Flayn’s rescuing him, or Mama’s kindness.

“This...this Ancestor’s City, you’re going to sell your wares there?”

“‘Course! Ancestor’s City’s just about the biggest city on the whole continent, and pretty much smack dab in the middle, too! It’s the perfect stop for anyone lookin’ to trade, stock up, or just find interestin’ conversation!” Mama flashed another wide, kind smile.

Flayn glanced over to Luca, brow furrowed with concern. “Hey, Luca? I’ve got a question. What are you going to do? Like, where are you going to go?” This gave Luca pause. He hadn’t thought of that. He hadn’t really had the time to, yet. He didn’t really have very many options. Or any at all, actually. He couldn’t very well wander off into the world on his own. He had no idea where he was going, or what he should even be doing. He had to investigate why he suddenly became a pokemon, of course, but he had no idea how to go about that.

“...I don’t know.” He answered truthfully.

“You could come with us! Right, Mama?” Flayn looked up at Mama expectantly, who nodded with that wide smile of hers.

“Of course! Any friend of Flayn is a friend of ours! Besides, it wouldn’t be right, turnin’ you out into the wild with no memory.”

“That’s...very generous of you. But I don’t want to impose.”

Both Flayn and Mama stared at him with blank expressions.

“You ain’t imposin’.” Mama said. “We got plenty of room, and plenty of food. Besides, seems to me y’ain’t got a lot of other options. At the very least, stay with us tonight. Mull it over, alright? You can make a decision in the mornin’, ‘kay?” Luca nodded.

“Okay.”

Both Mama and Flayn nodded, while the latter bumped his head against Luca’s shoulder.

“You can sleep with me in my tent! I’ve got a really comfy bed that we traded a Whimsicott for! It’s like sleeping on a cloud!” He was so excited by the prospect, that Luca found it difficult to not be excited, too.

“Alright.” He said, offering a small smile of his own. “I’m looking forward to it.” He was quiet for a moment, before a growl from his stomach filled the area. All eyes were on him as everyone burst into laughter. Even Ace snickered.

“I think that’s our cue to dig in, eh?” Mama said, gently and carefully pulling the stone box from the fire. She removed the lid, and steam billowed out from underneath. Fish, glistening from some sort of honey-colored glaze, which smelled just as sweet as honey.

“You like Fish, Luca?”

“I think so.” Mama smiled.

“Good.”

\--------

After dinner had finished, the members of the Caravan had taken to milling about the camp, doing various tasks that needed to be done. Ace had flown ahead to check the road’s conditions for tomorrow’s journey, while Lorelai and Jangle cleaned up the dishes from dinner. Mama and Sticks were busy checking the condition of the wagons. 

This left Luca sitting on the fringes of the camp, bathing in the dim, orange light of the sunset. He felt a little bad, just watching everyone go about their work, but when he’d offered his help, Mama waved him off.

“You’re a guest tonight, Luca. Guests don’t do the work.” She had said, before going off to find Sticks. So, he’d resigned himself to sitting and watching and feeling bad. They were all so kind to one another. Though, they did rib on each other quite a lot. But, he figured, they were essentially a family. And that’s just something family did to one another.

“You look lonely. I’m gonna sit with you so you’re not lonely.” Luca looked up, and Flayn had already seated himself next to him.

“I’m not lonely.” Luca said. “I’m just not sure what to do with myself. Mama wouldn’t let me help.” Flayn snorted.

“Enjoy that while it lasts. If you decide to come with us, she’ll be putting you to work soon enough.” He chuckled and flicked an ear, though his expression had turned curious. “...You’re going to come with us, right?”  
“I don’t know.” Luca said, because he didn’t. “I don’t want to be a bother to you all, and I don’t know if going with you is going to help me figure out what’s going on with me.” Flayn rolled his eyes.

“Okay, first off, you’re not a bother. Seriously. Stop saying that. Second! I’m going to talk to Mama after everyone else goes to sleep, talk to her about you being human and all that. We’ll see if she knows anything! And, if she doesn’t, then I’m sure she’ll at least be willing to help! And with me AND Mama helping you, that’s way better chances than just you by yourself!”

“I’ll talk to her with you.” Flayn frowned.

“Noooo. You, mister, are going to get some sleep. You’ve had a really rough day, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you passed out on your own before long.” He was right. Luca hadn’t noticed it before, but his entire body felt fatigued. And sore, of course.

“Are you sure? I’m sure she might have questions-” Flayn huffed.

“I’m, like, completely sure. You’re going to need your rest, anyway. We’ve got a lot of walking ahead of us tomorrow, ‘cause we’re not stopping until we reach Ancestor’s City.” He nodded, as though that were the end of that. Luca sighed and turned his gaze back out over the camp.

“Okay.” Was all he said. For a while, there was only silence between them. But, after a few minutes, Flayn spoke.

“...What was it like, being a human?”

“So you believe me, then?”

“I don’t know.” Flayn shrugged. “Maybe.” Luca smiled softly.

“I don’t really know. I don’t remember anything. Or, more accurately, I remember very little. My memory flashes sporadically. I know I was happy, and I know that, whatever I did, it was something that required me to learn and study a lot.”

“So you were a scholar or something? Well, that would explain the way you talk.” Flayn snorted, and Luca squinted.

“What’s wrong with the way I talk?”

“Oh, nothing, you just use big words and talk all stiff. You sound like a book nerd or something. All high and mighty. ‘Hello, I am Luca. I use large words like susceptible and sporadically.’” Flayn dropped all tone from his voice, expressionless.

“I do not talk like that.” Luca said, suddenly and acutely aware of how deadpan he’d said that.

“Mmmmmm, you kinda do. Like, really.”

“At least I do not say like every five syllables.” Flayn gasped and lightly rammed his head into Luca’s shoulder.

“Hey! Like is a good word! It helps to like, make my sentences...like…..shut up!” He headbutted Luca again, who let out a quiet chuckle. They settled into a comfortable silence once more, watching the last vestiges of sunlight fade far beyond the tops of the trees. Slowly but surely, the stars would begin to pop into life all over the sky.

“...I’ll join you.” Luca said eventually.

“Really?!” Flayn spouted, barely able to contain his excitement.

“Yeah. Like Mama said, it’s not as though I’ve many other options.” Flayn seemed about to let out a shout of glee, but simply nodded his head, very obviously trying to play it cool.

“Awesome.”


	4. Chapter Three: The Winding Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luca joins Mama's Caravan as they make their way to Ancestor's City

Flayn had been right about one thing, at least. His bed was very comfy. It was less a bed, really, and more just a nest made from various cottons and wools. But, despite that, it was very comfortable. It would have been a wonderful thing to sleep upon, if Luca was actually able to get any sleep.

He’d been laying in the bed for maybe two hours before he’d decided that Flayn’s droning snores were finally too much. They were incredibly loud. Surprisingly so, for such a small Pokemon. He slowly crept his way out of bed and out of the tent. Perhaps a quick walk would be enough to finally send him into the slumber he so desperately needed.

The camp was quiet. The fire had been put out hours ago, with only the light of the moon hanging high above keeping the area lit. The soft, barely perceptible sounds of sleep came from the rest of the tents. A deep inhale here, a gentle twitch there. Luca noted that, were it not for his heightened senses, he likely would not have been able to hear such things at all. One of the perks of being a Rockruff, he supposed.

Not everyone was asleep, however. She was partially hidden, but he could see Mama resting against a tree, a few yards away from camp. Her eyes were wide open, and she was watching him curiously. She gestured for him to come sit next to her, and he obliged. Once he was settled down next to her, she let out a soft hum.

“Couldn’t sleep either, hm?” Her tone was gentle, tired.

“Not really. Flynn...snores. A lot.” This earned a laugh from her.

“Oh, you’ve got no idea. It ain’t nearly as bad as it used to be. When we first met, you could hear him snorin’ from miles away. It was somethin’ awful. But, I got a feelin’ that ain’t all that’s keepin’ you up.” She lofted a brow.

“Not exactly.” Luca said under his breath.

“Flayn told me you think you used to be human.” It was said without judgement.

“I don’t think that.” He said with a frown. “I know it. I’m sure of it. I know that, logically, it makes little sense. But...I just...know it. In my heart of hearts.”

“Oh, I believe you, kiddo.” Luca perked up a slight.

“You do?”

“‘Course I do. I’ve heard stranger things from stranger folks before.’Sides, I don’t get the feelin’ from ya that you’re the kind to lie to strangers ‘bout somethin’ like that.” She leaned her head back against the trunk of the tree, closing her eyes. “And, I don’t want you gettin’ your hopes up, but I’ve heard stories. They’re old stories, mind you. Older than dirt. But I’ve heard stories ‘bout humans bein’ turned into Pokemon. Usually in the wake of some disaster, or in preparation for one.” Luca processed this.

“What do the stories say?”

“Aw, hell. I don’t rightly remember. I ain’t heard stories like that since I was a kid. But, there’s a group of folks in Ancestor’s City who collect things like that. Stories, legends. You’re comin’ with us, right?”

“Right.”

“Then you’ll get the chance to ask ‘em about it. They’ll be able to tell you a whole lot more than I ever could.” She opened her eyes and glanced down to Luca, smiling. Luca’s thoughts were already thinking of the future, however. Folk tales and legends of humans becoming Pokemon. It could be just that. Stories and conjecture. But, they could also be clues as to how he was transformed.

“You all keep talking about Ancestor’s City.” He said, brows furrowed. “It’s an interesting name. What’s it like there?”

“Oh, well.” Mama started. “You’ll see for yourself, but, it’s one of, if not the oldest settlement on the continent. Probably one of the first cities to ever rise in all of history. It’s this massive hole in the ground, not unlike the Builder’s Quarry.” She gestured to the entrance beyond the camp. “There’s all sorts of homes and shops and facilities and whatnot built into the walls, and then at the very bottom you’ve got the Seal.”

“The seal?” Luca asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Yup. I can’t do it justice with just words. But it’s this massive stone dial, smack dab in the heart of the city. Some folks think it’s sealin’ away some sort of treasure, or ancient evil. But the most common theory is that it’s lockin’ away a Mystery Dungeon.”

“Mystery Dungeon. Like the quarry.”

“Exactly.”

“Mama, what exactly are Mystery Dungeons? Flayn explained a little bit, but I didn’t find it particularly edifying.”

“I ain’t an expert, not by a long shot, but they’re basically big old self-rearrangin’ mazes.”

“I gathered as much. But, how do they do that? What creates them?” Mama sighted softly.

“You’re just chock full of questions, ain’t ya? Well, Luca, no one really knows. They just sort of...happen. And they’ve been poppin’ up a whole lot more lately. They’re mysteries. Hence the name.”

Luca simply sighed. That’s exactly what Flayn had said, and it wasn’t a particularly satisfying answer. But, he supposed that he wasn’t going to get much more than that. He wanted to fully understand this new world that he found himself in, but as knowledgeable as Flayn had claimed Mama to be, she was just one Pokemon.

“Sorry for not givin’ ya the answer ya wanted.” Mama said, picking up on Luca’s disappointment. “But, like I said, there’s folks in Ancestor’s City who can help ya find answers for your questions.”

“Thanks, Mama.” Luca said sincerely. She nodded, and silence fell upon them for a few moments. It didn’t last long before Mama spoke, warmth in her tone.

“He’s really taken a likin’ to ya. Flayn.”

“He has?”

“He has. Which is odd, ‘cause he don’t warm up to just anyone. I bet you already noticed, but he’s a bit of a hot-head.”

“I have.”

“You ain’t seen the worst of it. Hell, when I first met him, he was practically ready to tear my eyes out just for lookin’ at him wrong.” She let out a low, tired chuckle. “But he doesn’t seem to have much of an issue with you. That’s rare. And special.” Luca didn’t respond. He wasn’t sure how to. He liked Flayn as well, though, logically he figured that was simply because he was the first friendly face he’d met, despite the rock-throwing.

“He’s a loyal friend to have. If you stick around for a while, you’ll see that.” Mama rose to her feet, her maw stretching open in a yawn. “But, it’s about time I go and count some Wooloo, if you catch my drift. You have a good night, Luca.”

“You as well, Mama.” And just like that, he was left alone, with only the moon for company.

\--------

The next morning had proven to be something of a whirlwind of preparation. Everyone had their duties to perform, and then had all done them in what felt like the blink of an eye. Even Flayn, who seemed to enjoy complaining about his work, managed to get everyone’s tents down and packed away within an incredibly short amount of time. Luca was actually fairly impressed by everyone’s work ethic. Despite being a rather ragtag group, Mama seemed to run a tight ship.

Everything was packed away inside the wagons. Luca had managed to sneak a peek inside one of them, and was greeted by all manner of objects. Crates filled with food, pots and pans, precious gems, and pretty much everything else one would expect to find in the wagon of a trader. Sticks was hitched to one wagon, while Mama hooked herself up to the other.

“Wouldn’t be fair to let Sticks have all the fun haulin’, would it?” She’d said with a wink, which had made Luca smile. After that, they set off on the road without any delay. As they had left, Luca had taken one last look at the clearing where they’d camped, and the entrance to the Quarry. It felt strange, leaving it behind. It was all he’d known of this world so far. But, there was also a great excitement that came with that. He had no memory, and that was a great burden, yes. But that also meant literally everything ahead of him was new and ready to be known by him. The excitement of that almost outweighed the worry of his uncertain past.

Almost.

They’d spent a good portion of the day simply travelling. They’d left just as the sun began to rise, and already it sat high up in the sky, nearly half done with it’s job for the day. The road itself had led out of the wooded area they’d camped in, and was now winding through a wide open plain. It must have been mid-spring, because there were hundreds of bright, yellow flowers popping out of the sea of green grass. They swayed gently in the wind, as if greeting the caravan as it passed.

Everyone chatted amongst themselves as they walked. Despite Mama claiming that he didn’t say much, Sticks had spent much of the morning speaking in a low, excited tone to Jangle, who had been clicking away with their keys in response. Not knowing what they were saying was driving Luca crazy. They must have noticed as much, because at one point Sticks had canted his head for Luca to join them.

“Jangle says they want to teach you J-Code.” Sticks’ voice was low and gruff, sounding more like a waterfall beating against rocks than a Pokemon speaking.

“J-Code?” Luca had asked, brows furrowed. Jangle bobbed up and down in the air excitedly.

“Yeah.” Sticks said. “That's what they call how they talk. It’s a lot easier to learn than you’d think.”

“Oh, well. I like to learn new things. I’d be happy to try.” This seemed to please Jangle, who began clicking away with joy.

“They say when we get settled in the city, they’ll start teaching you a little bit.” Sticks nodded and turned his focus back out onto the road. The conversation was over, it seemed.

“...Oh. Uh, thank you.”

They stopped at about what Luca could only assume was around noon for Lunch. Mama and Sticks were unhooked from the wagons and Lorelai rummaged around in the back of one for a few minutes. Luca offered to help her, something she’d seemed grateful for.

“No one else is very good with cooking.” She explained. “Which I don’t mind, per say, but when they fully expect me to just handle all the prep work myself…” Her voice trailed off, not allowing herself to finish the thought. Though, Luca could have sworn he heard her cuss under her breath.

“Anyway. Nothing special today. I prepped some apples and berries this morning and glazed them in honey. Would you mind passing them out?”

“Alright.” He took a few bundles from her in his maw and went around to the other caravanners. Mama and Sticks first, since they were doing the brunt of the labor. Then Jangle and Ace. Jangle clicked thankfully, while Ace regarded Luca with little more than a grunt. He got the impression that Ace didn’t like him very much, though he couldn’t fathom why.

“Thank you, Luca.” Lorelai said as he returned. “Here, these are for you and Flayn. If he was to wait for his food any longer, I think he might start growling.” Sure enough, when Luca glanced over to where Flayn was sitting, he was greeted with an intense stare. Though, he wasn’t staring at Luca, rather the parcels Lorelai was handing him.

“Impatient little furball.” Lorelaid muttered as she passed Luca the food. Parcels secured in his maw, he padded over to Flayn and set them down. The Litten didn’t waste anytime, tearing the cloth open to begin scarfing down the fruit. Luca had barely sat down before he was half finished.

“Slow down or you’re going to choke.” Luca warned.

“You sound like Mama.”

“Well, she’s right, and so I am.”

“Well, I’m not dead yet, so I think I’m going to be just fine.” Flayn stuck his tongue out and continued scarfing down his food. Luca rolled his eyes and neatly unfolded his own meal. He was still getting used to having paws, but it was getting easier.

“I haven’t been to Ancestor’s City in ages.” Flayn said as he polished off the last of his meal. “We haven’t passed through in a while. Which is weird! Considering it’s, like, the biggest trade center. But! That’s okay! It means we get to pass through with you!” He offered Luca a wide grin. His fangs poked out slightly whenever he smiled, it was almost cute.

“I can’t wait to show you all the cool spots! Like the Trader’s Terrace! There’s always Pokemon from all over the world, there! I even saw a Darumaka, once!”

“Are they rare in this part of the world?”

“Well, yeah. They mostly live on Palova.” Flayn nodded matter-of-factly. Luca titled his head.

“Palova?”

“Oh, it’s uh...the northern continent. There’s three main ones. You’ve got Palova in the north, Yvdra in the south, and then Eischter! That’s the one we’re on now!”

“Ah.”

They waited until everyone else had finished their meal, and then Sticks and Mama were hooked up to the wagons once again.

“Not much longer to Ancestor’s City!” Mama announced, pulling a cloth from her pouch to wipe her brow with. “Should be just before nightfall when we get there!” They weren’t on the road for very long before Flayn bounded up to Luca, mischief flashing across his eyes.

“Hey Luca.”

“What?”

“Bet I can run faster than you.”

“I’m almost certain you can.” Luca frowned. “Why?”

Flayn rolled his eyes. “I’m challenging you to a race, Luca. Come one! It’ll be fun! Whoever’s legs give out first loses!”

“That sort of seems like a waste of energy.”

“Oh, come on, don’t be like that. Please?” Luca wasn’t sure how, but Flayn’s eyes grew wider and he could have sworn his lips quivered. 

“....Fine.” Luca relented.

“YES! Okay, okay, readysetgo!” It was all almost one word, and Flayn took off running, leaving a cloud of dust behind him. Luca sighed softly, though it quickly turned into a chuckle, and took off running after him.

It took a shocking short amount of time to catch up to Flayn, who was stalled in the middle of the road, standing motionless. 

“I didn’t think I was going to win so easily, Flayn. What exactly did I-” Luca paused. Flayn glanced back at him, a serious expression having replaced his playful one.

“Go get Mama.” His words were deadly serious, and Luca found himself confused, worried.

“What happened? Are you-” He stopped himself. He saw what had Flayn so spooked. A Pokemon was sprawled out in the middle of the road. They had white fur with blue tufts and long, folded ears. A meowstic. They were groaning and doubled over in pain.

“Please...help me.”


	5. Chapter Four: Ancestor's City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mama's Caravan offers to help a wounded Meowstic, and finally arrives in Ancestor's City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ancestor's City has big old city vibes. We don't see much of it in this chapter, but it's ooooold.
> 
> Also! One of my biggest pet peeves with the mystery dungeon games (explorers specifically) is that they just sort of say what mystery dungeons are and that bad Pokémon are showing up and then just...not elaborate. I wanna go a little deeper into that and give it some fun lore.
> 
> (Also the picture in my head of Luca with his little bag and his scarf is very cute and good.)

“Stay still, I can’t do anything if you’re squirming like that.” Lorelai muttered under her breath as she bandaged the wounded Meowstic. 

“It hurts.” The Meowstic hissed under her breath, to which Mama shook her head.

“I promise it’s going to hurt a whole lot less if ya let her fix ya up, sweetheart.” Her voice was steady and kind, but her gaze was stern. Luca had ran back to the caravan and informed her of what he and Flayn had found, and she wasted no time in unhooking herself from her wagon and sprinting forward to scoop up the Meowstic and carry her back to the wagon. 

“Aaaaand, there. That’s the last of our oran salve, so please don’t mess with it too much.  
It's going to go to waste, otherwise.” Lorelai had finished pulling the bandage tight with her teeth. “It should last you until we get to Ancestor’s City, at the very least. We’re not far.” The Meowstic nodded and pushed herself upright. They had positioned one of the wagons so that they could treat her in the shade, shielded from the sun.

“Thank you. I...won’t mess with it. I promise.” She nodded, and Mama crouched down, smiling gently.

“You got a name, Honey?”

“...Jessis.”

“Jessis. Lovely name. It’s a good thing Luca and Flayn here found you, Jessis. You woulda passed out before too long. What happened to ya?” 

“I...was on my way back home. My family and I...we live in a forest, just a little ways outside of the City.” Jessis winced, tugging nervously at the ruff of fur around her neck.

“I was attacked. A band of Rattata. They...they wouldn’t listen to reason. I...I think they may have been Frenzied.” She said frenzied in a tone that implied something beyond the usual definition. Luca and Flayn were sitting together, a respectful distance from the others, and Luca leaned in a bit closer, lowering his voice so only Flayn could hear.

“What does she mean by Frenzied?” Flayn flicked an ear, not even bothering to lower his voice.

“Oh, well, that’s what people have been calling this thing where Pokemon just go wild. No one’s really sure why, but when they get Frenzied, they turn into crazy fighting machines. They’ll just go around attacking anyone they come into contact with. Mostly they just stick to Mystery Dungeons, but sometimes they’ll leave and roam around. It’s been going on for maybe a year now?” 

“That’s worrying, to say the least. Is it possible that this Frenzy is connected to the outbreak of Mystery Dungeons?” Luca asked. Flayn cast a sideways glance at him, slightly annoyed.

“How would I know? It just happens, Luca. I don’t think anyone really knows why.” Luca sighed. He was curious as to how exactly these things everyone seemed to take for granted worked, but he supposed he was going to have to settle for not knowing for now. He turned his attention back to Mama and Jessis. Lorelai had begun packing her medical supplies away, and Mama nodded at Jessis with that big, reassuring grin of hers.

“Don’t you worry! We’ll get you to Ancestor’s City, and then when we’re there, we can figure out how we’re goin’ to get you home!” Mama thumped her tail against the ground for emphasis, kicking up a small cloud of dirt.

“...I...thank you. You’ve taken quite a load off my mind.” Jessis pressed a paw to her chest. “I do not know how to repay your kindness, but when I return home, I will find a suitable reward.” Mama shook her head.

“We don’t need no reward, Honey. We’re just doin’ what’s right, after all.” She nodded, and turned her gaze up to the skies, where Ace was quickly descending. He landed atop the wagon, pushing his goggles up from his eyes.

“The road ahead is clear, Mama. No sign of anyone, hostile or otherwise. It’s a clear shot to Ancestor’s City.”

“Thank ya, Ace. Alright, gang! We’re headin’ back out! Road may be clear, but don’t let your guard down for a second! You’ll ride in my wagon, Jessis. Can’t have ya riskin’ gettin’ more hurt than ya already are.” Mama turned to start hitching herself back up to her wagon, while Flayn rose to his paws, arching forward in a stretch.

“And here I thought today’s walking would be boring!”

\--------

Nothing anyone had said about Ancestor’s City did it justice in any right.

The closer they had gotten to it, the sparser the vegetation had become. The lush grasslands gave way to dirt and dull brush. But even in the dirt, flowers flourished. Vibrant pops of yellow and red. Some popping from the dirt, others taking refuge in the shade of willow trees that had made their home in the arid land. Luca was slightly astonished at how quickly the land had changed from lush greenery to near desert conditions. 

Then, of course, they finally reached the city itself. The road had led them to what, at first, Luca had assumed to be a massive sinkhole. Once they had reached the precipice, however, he was quickly corrected. The road continued down into the hole, and spiraled around and around, far beyond what Luca could see from the top. Structures had been carved out of the very stone itself; archways, statues of Pokemon he couldn’t quite make out yet, homes, shopping stalls, aqueducts transporting fresh water deeper into the city. Thousands of Pokemon were milling about. Luca figured there had to be hundreds of different species, all mingling and interaction with one another. It was certainly a sight to behold. 

Flayn was watching him as they began to descend into the city proper, gauging his reaction. Luca could practically feel the excitement rolling off of him.

“Soooo?” Flayn said, tail swishing back and forth. “What do you think?

“It’s beautiful.” Luca answered truthfully. “I’ve never seen anything like this before. I was expecting tents, or wooden houses, but everything is just built into the city itself. And I wasn’t expecting so many different Pokemon. I’m awe-struck, to be candid.”

“Is that your way of saying it’s totally awesome?” Flayn said teasingly.

“Yes, I suppose it is.”

“I KNEW you’d think so! Oh, man, I can’t wait to show you everything! The Trader’s Terrace is my favorite, but there’s this watering hole that they say you can’t swim in and I totally do, anyway. Getting caught is the best part because then you get to run away and they never catch me.” Flayn nudged Luca with his head. “OH! And! There’s this restaurant run by a Slurpuff who makes these little sandwiches made with enigma berries. They taste really weird and I love them!” 

Luca couldn’t help but find himself chuckling at Flayn’s excitement, which earned a tilt of the head from the other Pokemon.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. You’re just so excitable. It’s contagious.” Flayn squinted.

“....Hmmm, as long as you’re not making fun of me.”

As they descended, they passed what Luca could only assume to be a residential district of some sort. Tunnels were carved into the walls, creating streets with homes deeper inside. They were lit with some manner of glowing crystals, which cast a warm, orange light that drove away the shadows. Jangle split off from the group, clinking something out that Luca assumed meant something along the lines of “be back later.”

They passed over a sturdy stone bridge, and turned onto a large, round balcony of sorts. Like the rest of the city, it was carved out of the stone, but had been augmented with additional wooden extensions. There stalls covering almost every square inch, each filled with goods of all kinds. Luca made out some sort of jewelry stand, and then what looked to be a clothing stand. Though, rather than shirts and pants, they were selling scarves and ribbons.  
Mama and Sticks parked the wagons in a clear space. Mama unhooked herself, while Lorelai assisted sticks.

“This is the Trader’s Terrace!” Flayn declared, grin all wide and fanged. “Pokemon from every corner of the world come here to sell the stuff they find or make! Including us!”

“It’s a diverse market. It seems like you could find nearly anything here.” Luca noted, his eyes wandering. There were a few Spoink trying to pawn off some sort of dingy looking pearl on an Arcanine who clearly wasn’t in the mood for haggling.

Mama walked over, holding a bag that looked as though it were designed specifically for quadrupedal Pokemon. It seemed mostly empty, though something metallic rattled around one of the pockets.

“Alright, you two. We’re goin’ to get set up here, and I’m goin’ to hash things out with Jessis. Why don’t the two of you go on and find somethin’ special, yeah?” Flayn’s eyes lit up as he began to wiggle with glee.

“Really?!” 

“‘Course. It’s Luca’s first time in Ancestor’s City. He should have somethin’ to remember the occasion with.” She bent over, fastening the bag to Luca’s back. It was a little loose, but she adjusted it so it fit snugly and securely to his body. “I’m puttin’ you in charge of the money, Luca. If I give it to Flayn, he’ll just lose it.” She said with a guffaw. Flayn frowned.

“I would not!”

“Last time I gave you money, I recall it all havin’ been lost to a crack in the crag.”

“That was an accident! And it was only one time!”

“How ‘bout the time you spent everything I gave you on max elixir that turned out to just be water dyed funny colors?” 

“That Smeargle was really convincing, okay?!”

Luca chuckled at their exchange, even if Flayn seemed to bristle more by the second. Mama shook her head with a deep laugh, turning back to the wagons.

“Have fun, you too. Don’t be too long, ‘kay?” Flayn was already tugging Luca deeper into the market.

“We wooooon’t!”

“I love you!” Mama called out.

“Loveyoutoo!” Flayn mumbled in response.

Luca was starting to see the disadvantages of being a smaller Pokemon. They had been in the Trader’s Terrace for only a few moments, and already he’d nearly been stepped on twice. A Charizard let out a muffled apology after nearly crushing Luca’s paw. And then, of course, they nearly set him ablaze with their tail. Flayn snickered at the incident, though he quickly apologized when Luca shot him a piercing glare.

They browsed for a few minutes. Flayn kept tugging Luca towards stalls selling shining gems, or glittering bracelets.

“I would look so cool with earrings, don’t you think?!” He’d exclaimed excitedly, staring at an Ambipom who was practically covered in piercings.

“I get the feeling that maybe Mama wouldn’t react well to that.”

“Pft, whatever. I’m not a baby anymore. She doesn’t get a say if I pierce myself or not-OH! Luca! Over here!” Flayn’s attention span immediately drifted, and Luca was pulled towards the clothing stall he’d seen earlier. Flayn was pointing excitedly to a pair of scarves. They were pitch black, with streaks of electric blue.

“Luca! Luca! Luca! Let’s get matching scarves! That’d be so cool, don’t you think?” Flayn wobbled back and forth, his eyes pleading just as much as his mouth was. Luca squinted at the scarves for a moment. They were very sleek, he had to admit. They matched Flayn’s fur, and then his own eyes. 

“...Sure.”

“Yeah?!” Flayn gasped.

“Yeah.” Luca said with a nod, padding up to the merchant, a grizzled-looking Beartic. It took him a moment to count out all the coins, needing Flayn’s help to pull them out of the bag, but eventually the Beartic handed them the scarves. 

“Yes! Yes yes yes! Thank you!” Flayn exclaimed, already trying to tie the scarf on, to no avail. Luca rolled his eyes with a sigh. 

“Let me help.” He said under his breath. It took a few tries, but eventually he was able to get the scarf secured around Flayn’s neck. It suited him fairly well, he noted. Even if it was a little big for him

“What do you think? Am I totally awesome?” Flayn asked, tail whipping about.

“You look very handsome.” Luca replied with a nod, to which Flayn’s tail only whipped harder.

“You really think so?” 

“I really do.” Flayn made a noise that Luca couldn’t exactly describe in his mind.

“Okay! Okay! Your turn!” Flayn dashed over to Luca, trying his best to tie the scarf around his neck.

“Ack! Flayn! Not so tight!”

“I’m trying! But you have all these stupid rocks in the way! ARGH! Okay! There! I got it!” Flayn stepped back, looking Luca up and down, eventually settling into a wide grin.

“Does it fit?” Luca asked.

“Perfectly! That scarf was made for you!” Flayn pounced over, butting his head against Luca’s.

“And now we totally match! Now everyone will know we’re friends!”

“We’re friends?” Luca questioned, brow raised.

“Yes.” Flayn said flatly.

“We met yesterday.”

“And?”

“And-....” Luca paused. He couldn’t really think of a rebuttal beyond ‘we don’t know each other’, but then again, he barely knew himself. “...Alright.”

“C’mon! Let’s head back to Mama!” Just like that, Flayn was tugging Luca along once more, bobbing and weaving through the crowd until they found themselves back at the familiar wagons. Well, mostly familiar. They had been transformed, looking more like the stalls around them, only adorned with bright, colorful flags and multicolored lanterns. Mama leaned against one of them, watching as Ace and Lorelai set out various goods for display. Once Mama saw the two of them approaching, she waved and offered a wide smile.

“Hello, boys. Who wants to go on a little adventure?”


End file.
